Abuse: Judge lambasts states delaying domestication of Child Rights Law

JUDGE of the Federal High
Court in Ado Ekiti, Ekiti State,
Justice Taiwo Taiwo, has
condemned states foot-dragging
on the domestication and
implementation of the Child
Rights Law.
Justice Taiwo regretted that
only 24 out of the 36 states have
adopted the law with Lagos
coming first, lamenting that
some states that had
domesticated same
were also not thorough
with implementation.
Delivering a
lecture entitled:
‘Implementation of
child protection laws;
the role of stakeholders’
at a ceremony marking
the 2016 edition of
the International
Federation of Women
Lawyers, FIDA, in Ekiti
State, Justice Taiwo also
alluded to obnoxious
tradition and cultural
practices as the two
main impediments that
are restricting the rights
of children in Nigeria.
He said with the
condition of children in
the country, concerted
efforts must be made
to tackle the menace
of degradation,
molestation, abuses
against children in
order to safeguard their
future.
“Developme n t a l
issues for example
on children’s vulnerabilities in this online
world should be the focus of
all stakeholders. The impact
of online usage should not
be lost on us. Children are
targets of prostitution online,
pornography, child abuse
and other negative effects of
information dissemination
through the internet.
“Companies and businesses
can provide grants for research
and sponsor programmes to
educate children and the entire public on issues concerning the
child.”
FIDA’s National President,
Mrs Inime Agunma, and the
Chairperson of the association in
Ekiti, Rita Ilevbare, assured that
they will continue to work for the
promulgation of laws that would
tackle abuses against children
and women in the country.
Agunma said: “Our mission
and vision is to ensure that
we have a country devoid of
obstacles to women and children using our professional
skills to support our target
population. Child protection
is very important and that is
why we advocate for women
empowerment at all levels to
help our children,” she said.
Ilevbare commended the
state government for raising
the bar of administration
of the child justice system
through the domestication and
implementation of the child
rights law.